Salary cap implications for Steelers from $3.75M deal with WR Eli Rogers

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We take a look at the impact the receiver’s new two-year deal will have on the Steelers’ salary cap.

Of all the moves the Pittsburgh Steelers have made this offseason, their decision to extend the contract of Eli Rogers might have been their most unexpected. And based on the numbers revealed by Steelers salary cap expert Ian Whetstone on Wednesday, it would appear that the Steelers have not only added another year to his deal, but have also effectively opted to more than double his salary this season.

As per Whetstone, the receiver has been signed to a contract that will pay him base salaries of $1.25 million in 2018 and $2 million in 2019, one that also includes a signing bonus worth $500,000 as part of a deal worth a total of $3.75 million.

Originally set to cost the Steelers just $720,000 this season after seeing his contract toll from last year, Rogers will instead now earn $1.75 million in cash and account for more than twice the amount of salary cap space at $1.5 million.

2019

• Base salary – $1.25 million
• Prorated signing bonus – $250,000
• Salary cap charge – $1.75 million

2020

• Base salary – $2 million
• Prorated signing bonus – $250,000
• Salary cap hit – $2.25 million

Similar to many of the contracts Pittsburgh have signed players to this offseason, this deal offers Rogers very limited protection from being released, even in year-one. But while it would be surprising to see him released prior to the start of the regular season, there is no guarantee he will see the second year of the contract given the relatively low dead money charge of $250,000 that would be associated with his release.